What to Look for When Buying a Dog Bed

Our canine’s sleeping quarters come in a bewildering array of sizes, stuffings and shapes these days. So how do you know what to look for when buying a dog bed?

Welcome to our full guide to purchasing the perfect dog bed for your best friend. Covering everything from sleeping styles, to durable fabrics, to preventative joint health - discover how to distinguish the most luxurious dog bed for your canine companion.

Can you imagine life without the cosy comfort of your bed? No thanks…

As dog lovers, we know that our canines find the same joy that we do in nestling down into a warm and snuggly space. And considering dogs really do spend most of their time sleeping, finding the right bedtime set-up is crucial to a happy, well-rested & pain-free pooch.

But what kind of bed should you buy for your dog? How can you make sure it’s the haven of comfort they deserve, while giving them the support their bodies need?

To help you find the perfect pillow palace for your fur-friend, here’s a handy checklist of what to look for when buying a dog bed (which we’ll dive into more detail on below):

• Size - is the bed appropriately sized for my dog?
• Support - is the bed adequately padded & supportive of my dog’s joints?
• Comfort - does your dog like the feel of the bed and fabric? Do they naturally gravitate towards it?
• Safety - are the materials non-toxic? Does it present any dangers to my dog?
• Craftsmanship - is the bed made to last with durable materials?
• Hygiene - is it easy to keep clean?
• Style - and last but not least, does it suit the decor and style of my home (as well as my dog’s personality!)

What Size Should My Dog Bed Be?

Probably the first question you’ll need to address is sizing. Whether you have a miniature toy breed or a giant on your hands (like my Pickle), every dog has unique sizing needs. That’s because they each have personal preferences, and may become disenchanted with a bed that swamps or cramps them.

Most importantly, your dog should have freedom of movement, so the bed should be large enough for them to be able to lie comfortably in all those glorious natural positions. That’s why I always recommend measuring your dog before purchasing a bed, to ensure they have a bed that allows them to stretch out as well as curl up.

Top Tip: We offer a handy sizing guide on our website, created from extensive testing to find the perfect dog-to-dog-bed-ratios! You can also get in touch to discuss custom sizing if you have a wonderfully unique pooch on your hands.

To maximise your dog’s comfort and joint longevity, you’ll want to look for a bed with the right amount of padding. Dogs have bony parts around their elbows and hips, just like us, that if left unsupported can develop into painful sores or joint issues. Well-cushioned surfaces for sleeping help relieve this pressure and ensure your dog wakes up with a wag in their tail.

After extensive testing to find the perfect padding, our luxury dog bed inserts are generously filled with a furniture quality foam and fibre blend to provide the ultimate experience in comfort and support your best friend's need. Just ask Pickle! All our bed inserts have internal channelling to keep the fill in place too, which is crucial for keeping them comfy all night long - no matter what position they end up in.

And if you have a big, active or older pup that needs extra support for their joints, check out our luxury orthopedic beds. Featuring Australian made premium grade foam with a 5 year warranty against flattening to provide the ultimate support for your dog. 

Something that can often be overlooked when shopping for pet accessories is safety. Especially with younger dogs who might still be testing the world out with their teeth, it’s important to ensure the materials they come into contact with are non-toxic. That’s why we use only human-grade materials (that you would find in your own furniture) and super durable materials in our luxury dog beds.

Another important factor is temperature regulation, especially here in sunny Australia. We work with a mixture of breathable, hygienic fabrics that allow your dog to feel comfortable and cool, or cosy and snuggly depending on their mood.

And for when the temperature drops, we offer bed covers that have a warm cosy fabric on one side for your dog to snuggle into, with a lighter fabric on the reverse side perfect for summer. So you can simply flip the bed over to suit the climate and save you from the clutter of multiple dog beds. Just look at our Aztec Sherpa & Persian Tapestry styles for some inspiration.

You'll also want to bear in mind that if you have a multi-dog household, you’ll need to make sure you have a minimum of one bed per dog. This will help you avoid any potential competition disputes or resource guarding, and allow for safe snuggling for all parties.

For me, a dog bed is an investment. Both as a long term accessory to my home, but also as an investment in my dog’s health and happiness. But I just couldn’t find the quality, sizing and longevity I was looking for. So I started to make them myself!

I went on a quest to not only create extra large indoor dog beds, but to find an answer to my burning question…what are the best fabrics for a dog bed?

And I found them! The ultimate materials for durable, hygienic & long-lasting beds:

• Commercial Upholstery Velvet, with its dig-resistant and hair-resistant short pile, makes for the ultimate outer material. Not only is it extremely durable and washable making it very practical for daily use, it also looks gorgeous and dogs love the feel of it too!
• Canvas is a tightly woven fabric, so it does not trap pet hair and threads cannot be easily pulled or snagged either. Super durable, easy to clean & cool to the touch, it makes an ideal starting place for outdoor beds in Australia.

                                    Read more about our fabrics  here.

These luxury handmade dog beds are made right here in Brisbane by yours truly. I ensure that each one is built to last, and of the highest quality for your best friend. Our supportive inserts are also made in Australia by a small local manufacturer because I believe in looking to the amazing small businesses we have in this country, wherever we can.

We all want our dogs to feel healthy & happy in their skin. And hygiene is a huge part of that. That’s why it’s built into every part of the design and creation process of our boutique beds.

• All our bed covers are machine washable
• Our bed covers have large zippers making them easy to remove
• We use fabrics that do not easily trap pet hair, so they can simply be vacuumed or shaken off between washes
• Inserts are non-allergenic and odour free, they can be vacuumed and spot cleaned as needed.
• To maximise comfort and cleanliness, we recommend bed inserts are regularly aired out and plumped

And because we know much of the canine struggles with incontinence issues, we also offer washable waterproof bed liners for dogs that are prone to accidents or anyone that wants to protect their bed insert. 

Dogs are a part of our family, so it only makes sense that their beds become part of our homes too. When we first adopted Pickle, I found it very hard to find a dog bed large enough for her that was stylish enough to match her personality and matched our home decor.

Drawing on the latest interior design inspiration, I love creating modern, aesthetic designs that perfectly match your home and your pooch’s personality. With our range of stylish indoor dog beds & weather-resistant outdoor canvas beds - there’s a luxurious bed ready for every kind of canine.

As we can see the benefits of a dog bed really lie in the foundations, so be picky when searching for the perfect place for them to perch. Make sure your dog feels supported, safe & comfortable, and check off all the essentials with this guide on what to look for when buying a dog bed.

If you are looking for a luxurious dog bed in Australia, then check out our stylish range - they’re just waiting to be snoozed on!

And do reach out if you have any questions, we are all ears.